The practical need for a vehicle that could be flown and driven on roadways has a long history but in the current century it is becoming a necessary feature because of limited capacity of streets and highways. The barrier to achieving success is located in the necessity to match different characteristics during the flight and driving operations. In order to overcome the challenging design requirements, the vehicle should have an ability to simply and alternately convert between an aircraft and automobile configurations and have a speedy take-off. Although, no vehicles are being commercially manufactured to successfully resolve the tasks.
One technical proposition, U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,939, comprises a structure of an automobile or cabin assembly with an aircraft assembly, which is removable and towed behind for the road use. The aircraft assembly cannot be folded or stowed for the driving operations and a single gasoline engine is impractical for a speedy take-off. This is one of only two road/air vehicle or flying car designs ever certified for production by CAA (Civil Aeronautics Administration) or FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).
U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,688 has a lifting body configuration somewhat in the manner of the airfoil fuselage shape. However, the rear fuselage includes a central channel before the rear propeller, somewhat in the manner of one nacelle or channel of the twin engine Custer Channel Wing aircraft developed in the 1950s. The craft utilizes two engines, one for driving and water use and other for airborne use. However, the two engines are of similar design and may be linked together to provide the required power for take-off and climb when used as an aircraft. This arrangement has flight components that cannot be folded or stowed for the driving or water operations, and unlikely to make take-off in a short distance by using a propeller.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,846 has a land-air-water vehicle with doors which open to become wings and a large diameter set of tires which acts to assist in both land and water propulsion. Unlike the current invention, this arrangement has unwindable fins for control, wings components that require a complex structure in order to set them into a working position, and utilize motors/generators for all operations which cannot provide for a speedy take-off by using propellers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,374 has the wings, tail assembly and propeller drive all folded into the structure of the body or cabin portion for carriage during road use and non-driven rear wheels that are capable of inward articulation to provide room for the wings when folded. This arrangement has a complicated way of stowing all parts for driving operation and utilizes a single engine for driving and flight operations that are impractical for a speedy take-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,584 has front canard wings, main wings with fins assembly that can all be folded into structure of the body or cabin portion for carriage during road use, as well as non-driven rear wheels. The two engines are used separately for driving and flight operations. This arrangement requires a complex method for stowing all parts, a special compartment for stowing wings for the driving operation and has to be manually arranged, unlike the current invention.